Does Obama's Reelection Depend on His Ability to Raise Taxes?

Reading Michael Tomasky's column on GOP claims of "class warfare" in the The Daily Beast this morning, I was struck with by his claim that "this tax fight will be the great test of the Obama presidency." I think Tomasky might be right about this, although I cannot imagine any circumstances under which House Republicans would allow Obama to win the fight. Even more interesting to me, though, is the implication that Obama's chances for electoral success next fall may hinge on his ability to win a fight to raise taxes. That strikes me as deeply counterintuitive, but we are in strange political times.